The present invention relates to a side rail for a canopy, particularly a side rail for a collapsible and portable canopy. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved side rail assembly which is simply and cost-effectively constructed, easy to install, and which adds torsional stability to a canopy on which it is installed.
Side rails are known for installation on collapsible and portable canopies. However, the conventional side rails can be difficult to install and complicated in structure. In addition, despite their complicated structures, conventional side rails can be flimsy and without a great deal of stability. In particular, conventional side rails can break or fall off the canopy structure in the event of torsional stress in which, for example, one or more uprights of the canopy supporting the side rails move in opposite directions. Also, complicated means may need to be provided in order to prevent the side rail from slipping down the upright, or in order to fix the side rail at a desired height on the upright.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a stable side rail which is easy and quick to install and which does not have a complicated structure.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a side rail which is easily fixed to a desired height on an upright of the canopy.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a side rail assembly which has improved torsional stability and strength.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a side rail which allows cloth panels of various sizes and weights to be stabily draped over the side rail without adding complexity to the overall structure.
In accordance with the above objects, the present invention provides a side rail assembly for a canopy having a plurality of uprights. The side rail assembly according to the invention comprises a side rail having two ends, and a fixture. The fixture is configured to be fixed at one end of the side rail, and defines a central hollow dimensioned to fit snugly around one of the plurality of uprights. The fixture further has a socket for receiving one end of the side rail, and hinged member. The hinged member defines one wall portion of the central hollow. The fixture is slidable around the upright when the hinged member is in an open position and fixture is fixed around the upright when the hinged member is in a closed position. Lastly, a locking member is provided which is disposed to lock the hinged member in the closed position.
In one embodiment, the fixture further comprises a fixing member extending into the central hollow and insertable into a corresponding receptacle of the upright in order to make the fixture fixable at a desired vertical position on the upright. This last feature is intended to allow the fixture and thus the side rail assembly to be easily, and stably fixed at a desired vertical height
In another embodiment, a wedge portion of the hinged member defines a portion of the central hollow. In this embodiment, a slot, dimensioned to receive the wedge portion of the hinged member when the hinged member is in the closed position, is also provided on the fixture.
The fixing member can be provided in addition to the wedge portion, in a further embodiment. Also, the wedge portion can be provided in an embodiment without the fixing member.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the hinged portion also defines a wall of the socket so that, when the hinged portion is in the open position, the end of the side rail is laterally insertable into the socket.
In a still further embodiment, the central hollow is preferably rectangular, or square in cross section. This is preferably so, because the uprights of canopies have more torsional stability and bending strength when fashioned to be either rectangular or square in cross section.
The fixture may further comprise a second socket disposed at an angle to the first socket and dimensioned to receive an end of a side rail. This second socket may be useful when the side rail assembly is used to affix a side rail to more than one contiguous side of a canopy structure, such as when a side rail is required for a front and side or a front and two sides, or any other desired combination of contiguous sides. In this latter embodiment the second socket may be disposed at an angle of 90xc2x0 to the first socket.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the end of the side rail may comprise a transverse hole, and a hinged member may also comprise a hole disputed to be alignable with the transverse hole of the end of the side rail. This way, if the locking member is a bolt, for example, the bolt may pass through the hole of the hinged member and through the transverse hole of the side rail and thus the dual objective of locking the hinged member in the closed position and stabilizing the side rail in the socket can be achieved. When the locking member is a bolt, a hex nut threadable with the bolt can be counter-sunk into one of the hinged member or a portion of the fixture opposite the hinged member in the socket.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the Detailed Description of the Preferred embodiments which follows, when considered in conjunction with the attached Figures of drawing.